Ejiro P Awhin¹, Iruoghene Onosakponome², Alfred I Ajoh¹ , Uche Dennis-Eboh¹, Yvonne EN Marshall-Enudi³, Uchechukwu O Osuagwu⁴, Diatachekor Oyibo²

¹Department of Medical Biochemistry, Delta State University, Abraka; ²Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Dennis Osadebay University, Asaba; ³Department of Industrial Chemistry, Dennis Osadebay University, Asaba; ⁴Department of Biochemistry, University of Africa, Toru Orua, Bayelsa State, Nigeria.

For correspondence:-  Alfred Ajoh   Email: aajoh@delsu.edu.ng   Tel:+2348168324595

Received: 19 March 2024        Accepted: 14 June 2025        Published: 03 July 2025

Citation: Awhin EP, Onosakponome I, Ajoh AI, Dennis-Eboh U, Marshall-Enudi YE, Osuagwu UO, et al. Analysis of chitosan nanoparticles synthesized from cowry and oyster shell byproducts using Cymbopogon citratus and silver nitrate. Trop J Pharm Res 2025; 24(6):771-778 doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.4314/tjpr.v24i6.3

© 2025 The authors.
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Abstract

Purpose: To determine the properties of chitosan nanoparticles synthesized from Cymbopogon citratus
and silver nitrate (AgNO3).
Methods: Chitosan nanoparticles (CNPs) were synthesized using Cymbopogon citratus (Poaceae
family), aqueous silver nitrate solution (AgNO3), and chitosan (synthesized via chitin deacetylation
separately from oyster and cowry shells). Characterization of both chitosan and its nanoparticles was
performed using X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), and scanning
electron microscopy (SEM).
Results: X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis showed that the chitosan extracted from the oyster and cowry
shells had crystallite sizes of 30.10 and 37.48 nm, respectively, and crystallinity indices of 68.71 and
60.22 %, respectively. On the other hand, the synthesized chitosan nanoparticles from oyster and cowry
shells exhibited crystallite sizes of 18.59 and 19.34 nm, respectively, with crystallinity indices of 91.65
and 83.04 %. The FTIR analysis revealed that the synthesized chitosan exhibited characteristic peaks
for C=O stretching, amide I and C=O stretching in the NHCOCH? group, whereas the nanoparticles
showed O-H stretching overlapping N-H. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) imaging showed that the
extracted chitosan had irregular, rough edges and a coarse grainy structure, while the nanoparticles
displayed small, spherical particles with a grainy texture, suggesting increased porosity.
Conclusion: Chitosan nanoparticles have been synthesized through a green process, providing an
eco-friendly alternative. Additionally, the structural characteristics of the chitosan nanoparticles suggest
their suitability for various industrial applications.

Keywords: Chitosan, Chitosan nanoparticles, FTIR, XRD, SEM, Crystallinity index, Crystallite size, Cowry shell, Oyster shell, Sodium nitrate

Impact Factor
Thompson Reuters (ISI): 0.6 (2023)
H-5 index (Google Scholar): 49 (2023)